Moments With God.
Advent Week 3
JOY
Thursday, December 16
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The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy, He will rest in his love, He will joy over thee with singing. Zephaniah 2:17.
December - a time to look forward to for it is the month we celebrate the birth of our Lord. And on this particular date - December 16th - my youngest granddaughter's birth occurred.
It is a time for goodwill, peace, love, the happy gathering of those we care about. It must be a time overflowing with joy. But somehow, sorrow has entered into this time frame - the loss of an aunt who did not know Christ - her husband and nine children - not sure how many grand and great grandkids, none of whom have Jesus in their hearts. Oh, yes, they have heard the message and they have seen Christian lives lived before them. No joy here. Joy will not come in the morning.
And then there is our dear friend - she taught my boys to love the Bible - she has been a Christian example to me. How can I have joy in my heart when she has been given three weeks to live? The "Joy Comes in the Morning" for she will truly walk with Christ in heaven. Sorrow for now - but joy in the morning.
Christ's birth brought joy - it also brought weeping, but joy did come in the morning. Our Lord rejoices with us. Even in times of sorrow, He is our joy when we have His love within us.
One little Child...no more, no less--
And could His mother Mary guess
Salvation for the human race
Depended on that night, that place?
And did she know this Child would cause
All heaven to rock with glad applause?
Their midnight song of sacred verse?
Would cause a star of strange design
To leave its orbit, and to shine
A brilliant path, from east to west?
Would cause wise men to choose the best
Of hoarded treasure, and to search
The nations from a camel perch?
Would make a king (in craven fear)
Destroy small man-children near?
To this small Child the nation thrilled,
For He was prophecy fulfilled.
But could His mother, even guess
While rocking Him with tenderness,
The whole import of His advent...
This one small Child, from heaven sent.
Carol Lombard
Cadyville, New York, USA
Father,
We know that joy becomes all the greater when sorrow comes first. When we have both joy and sorrow mixed at the same time, it leaves us grasping to find some meaning and satisfaction in it all.
At this time of year, please let us celebrate with the great joy You desire for us to have, even in the midst of some very real sorrows.
Thank You for the promise that joy comes in the morning. We are filled with greater desire for the morning, realizing the joy it will bring. We rest on Your promise.
Amen
[Psalms 50,59] [Zechariah 4:1-14] [Revelation 4:9 - 5:5]
[Matthew 25:1-13]
or suggestions to Yvonne Edwards.
Edited: Dec. 11, 6:55 a.m.
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